1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to picture leveling/positioning and, more specifically, to an inexpensive, reusable, and compact picture leveling/positioning template where the design of the device would allow the user to arrange picture frames, shadow boxes, shelving, signage, or any objects with 2 or 3 dimensions that could be mounted on a wall in a preferred arrangement in limitless aesthetic combinations on a vertical surface of any size or slope and curved wall surfaces.
The template also has multiple leveling guides to assist the user in leveling and spacing picture frames horizontally and vertically on any vertical surface.
The invention is a three part inexpensive compact kit comprised of a planar pliable material with multiple leveling lines inscribed thereon, a non-shear adhesive, and bubble levels with a non-shear adhesive.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are other level devices designed for leveling pictures. Typical of these is U.S. Pat. No. 2,667,704 issued to Carl H. Dunn on Mar. 18, 1952.
Another patent was issued to Gary E Mallory on Sep. 5, 1967 as U.S. Pat. No. 3,339,302. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 3,523,382 was issued to Ronald L. Dreyer on Aug. 11, 1970 and still yet another was issued on Jul. 18, 1978 to Bruce L. Hollander as U.S. Pat. No. 4,100,681.
Another patent was issued to Stephen R. Berndt on Jun. 24, 1980 as U.S. Pat. No. 4,208,802. yet another U.S. Pat. No. 4,936,033 was issued to Mark Lacko on June 26, 1990. Another was issued to Michael Kane on Dec. 11, 1990 as U.S. Pat. No. 4,976,055 and still yet another was issued on Nov. 7, 1995 to Richard A. Leeds as U.S. Pat. No. 5,463,817.
In a bracket for leveling picture frames and the like, the combination which comprises a plate having an extended edge and with upwardly extended sections of unequal length on the ends, arms of unequal length with hooks extended from the upper ends extended upwardly from the sections at the ends of the plate, and means hinging said arms to the upwardly extended sections at the ends of the plate.
A frame structure for photographs, comprising: (a) a rectangular frame defining a central opening; (b) means for positioning a photograph in said opening; (c) a raised rim bordering said frame and having a set of slots therein defining a common plane parallel to, but offset from said frame; (d) a set of tongues extending outwardly from said rim in the same plane as said slots, said tongues and slots being so located as to permit the tongues of one frame structure to enter the slots of a companion frame structure thereby to join said frame structures.
Individual frames are provided with hooks or clamps which cooperate with holes or slots respectively in similar frames to secure adjacent frames together in various arrangements. A photograph, glass and backing are retained in position within the individual frames by an integrally formed, resilient clip which extends from one end of the fame. Several smaller frames are displaced independently or are mounted within a single larger frame.
An inexpensive spirit level having means for easy attachment to upper surface portions of picture frames or the like. The device comprises a transparent tape having blister-like cavities at regular intervals, a base tape affixed in face-to-face relation against one side of the transparent tape and having a pressure sensitive adhesive on the outside for attachment to a surface portion of a frame, and a liquid partially filling said cavities. Each blister cavity has a bubble corresponding to the unfilled space which bubbles will move along the curvature of the blister, thereby indicating the relative position of the device with respect to a horizontal plane. Suitable markings on the transparent tape are provided to facilitate reading level position with respect to the horizontal plane.
A mounting plate is attached to a picture frame and holds a removable liquid bubble level. The plate can be sheared by pushing the frame toward the wall. A card is provided for packaging several mounting plates with a single bubble level.
A unitary poster assembly molded of flexible synthetic plastic material, the assembly including a rectangular backing plate whose dimensions are slightly smaller than those of the poster. The plate is bordered by an integrated frame formed of top, bottom and left and right side branches, the top branch being spaced from the upper edge of the plate to form an inlet gap. The inner walls of the branches, save for the top branch, are slotted to define a U-shaped socket for receiving the corresponding margins of a poster supported on the backing plate. To install a poster, the top branch is momentarily bent back to admit the lower end of the poster into the inlet gap and to permit insertion of the side margins thereof into the slots of the side branches, the poster then being pushed down until its bottom margin lies in the of the bottom branch, at which point the poster is properly mounted. To thereafter remove the poster from the frame assembly, the top branch is again flexed, and the poster is pulled out of the socket.
A wall mountable frame comprises a rectangular pan-shaped frame including a main rectangular vertical rear wall having forwardly extending magnet-attracting marginal walls defining with said main wall a rectangular sign or poster receiving recess. Screw head-receiving holes are provided in said main vertical wall for receiving the heads of wall mounting anchoring screws which will be fully recessed in said holes, the defining walls of said holes being formed by rearwardly projection portions of said main vertical wall. Magnet bars are insertable along the inner margins of the marginal walls of the frame to hold the margins of sheet material upon said rear wall. Spacers are preferably in the form of double adhesive coated synthetic plastic foam strips are positioned behind said frame to extend along the margins of the rear wall of the frame. The strips space the hole-forming projecting portions of the rear wall from the mounting wall surface of the frame. The strips have a peelable outer layer to cover the outer adhesive layer thereof. The strips are compressed by the tightening of the screws when screws are the frame anchoring means, and can be used as the sole anchoring means of the frame when the peelable outer layer is removed therefrom.
A leveling device is provided that has a hollow thin rectangular housing and is constructed of transparent plastic. The housing holds two different types of fluids, such as oil and water, or a mix of air and fluid. The two immiscible fluids allow the device to be used as a level which operates when the line between the fluids aligns with a datum line that is etched or marked upon the surface of the transparent housing. The device can be attached to an article to be leveled by an adhesive back on the leveling device or alternatively by thumb tacks inserted through holes provided in the housing of the device. The relatively long line between fluids allows the device to be used in judging the degree to which the article is non-level relative to its environment, and also allows the device to hang an article at a specific angle relative to a wall, floor or ceiling. A version of the level can be constructed with a flexible and bendable housing to allow the level to be used to align objects of any shape.
While these leveling devices may be suitable for the purposes for which they were designed, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention, as hereinafter described.